1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a structure for coupling a cleat to a bicycle pedal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various structures have heretofore been used for coupling cleats to bicycle pedals. Many of these structures are designed to fix shoes to pedals. The shoes tend to move axially of the pedals with leg action during cycling. However, such coupling structures do not allow the shoes to move axially of the pedals, resulting in an additional burden imposed on the rider's legs.
FIG. 4 shows a device developed in view of the above drawback. This drawing shows clamping projections 3 and 4 formed on a pair of cleat damp of a pedal for securing a cleat to the pedal. References 5a and 5b denote engaging projections of the cleat 5 shown in FIG. 1. A pedal axis is referenced X in FIG. 4. This device allows the cleat 5 to oscillate freely about a pint of contact Z between the projection 5a of the cleat 5 and the clamping projection 3. Thus, the rear projection 5b of the cleat 5 is displaceable relative to the clamping projection 4.
With this prior structure, a treading force of the rider's foot is applied to the pedal at a point F in FIG. 4. This point F is a relatively long distance away from the point Z about which the cleat 5 is oscillatable. This results in an inconvenience that, when the cleat 5 oscillate to a large extent, the cleat 5 would readily slip off the pedal by momentum.